Clothes dryers, both electric and gas, are commonly found in residential use. Dryers of this type generally have a front opening door, opening into a compartment in which a large, cylindrical drum is mounted for rotation about a horizontal axis. Clothing to be placed in the dryer is imparted a tumbling action by the rotation of the drum which promotes drying of the clothing. One problem is that small objects such as coins, pens, lipsticks and the like are often inadvertently left in a pocket of the clothing placed in the dryer. The temperature in a typical dryer reaches somewhere between 140.degree. F. to 160.degree. F. temperature. Coins and similar small metal objects due to the tumbling action may simply cause an annoying rattle and possible damage to the drum and finish as these type of objects strike the metal drum. Other items such as pens and lipsticks, due to the high temperatures within the dryer, may melt or leak causing ink or petroleum-based materials to run or melt, soiling the clothing that are drying. Such stains, due to the temperature within the dryer, can become heat-set making subsequent removal of such stains difficult. Further, the soiling or staining may spread to most of the other articles of clothing placed within the dryer.
In view of the foregoing, there exists a need for a simple device for catching and retrieving loose items that may be inadvertently deposited in a clothes dryer along with clothing to be dried.